1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a self-propelled cold milling machine for working ground surfaces, in particular roadways, as well as to a method for milling off and transporting away a milled-off stream of material of a cold milling machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A front-loading milling machine is known, for example, from EP 1 507 925, FIG. 1. The known cold milling machines feature a machine frame supported by crawler tracks or wheels. A milling drum is mounted in the machine frame transversely to the direction of travel. In order to achieve the completest possible removal of the milled-off material, the milling drum is generally enclosed by a housing, the wall of which pointing in the direction of travel is designed as a covering blade with an opening for the milled-off material. The material worked off by the milling drum is accepted by a first transport conveyor which transfers the worked-off material, at the forward end of the milling machine, onto a second transport conveyor which can be pivoted in incline and slewed laterally for transport onto a loading surface of a truck. Small milling machines feature a single transport conveyor only which is directed towards the rear as seen in the direction of travel and may also be designed to be pivoted in incline and slewed laterally. One embodiment of said cold milling machine, the so-called rear-loading milling machine, is illustrated, for example, in FIG. 5 of EP 1 507 925.
In operation, the milled-off stream of material exits from the conveying device at the upper discharge end of the conveying device comprising no less than one transport conveyor in the form of a parabolic trajectory and is discharged onto a point of discharge, for example, onto a loading surface of a truck. The parabolic trajectory is dependent on the variably adjustable conveying speed, on the composition of the milled-off material and on the angle of incline of the last transport conveyor.
Loading operations and positioning of the conveying device or the truck can be automated in accordance with said computable parabolic trajectory (DE 10 2012 215 013 A1).
The computability of the actual parabolic trajectory and the point of impingement may be impaired by outer environmental influences, such as strong wind or pressure waves created by traffic moving alongside the construction site. In addition, individual particles of the flow of material may be separated from the main stream of material, which essentially follows the parabolic trajectory, and may take a different path.
As a result,                parts of the flow of material cannot be loaded onto the truck and transported away as intended, which requires additional sweeping operations to be performed;        the traffic moving alongside a construction site may be impaired by particles of the milled material leaving the main stream of material and, in extreme cases, damage may be caused to passing vehicles.        